A Fitness Expert Reveals Whether Working Out On Weekends Is Enough & It's Good News

Weekdays can be an extremely hectic and busy time for some, leaving barely enough time to shower, sleep, and feed yourself, let alone exercise. Work, school, and countless other responsibilities often consume every waking hour of your day, leaving weekends as the only time you can do things you actually enjoy. This might leave you wondering if working out on weekends only is enough to reap any of the benefits of exercise. After all, in a perfect world, you would work out more often, but lately you just straight-up don't have the time. So are those two days really making any difference or helping you reach your goals?

According to Charlee Atkins, CSCS, a Master SoulCycle instructor and founder of Le Sweat, there are both pros and cons to working out solely on Saturdays and Sundays each week. But before we get into that, Atkins says it's important not to overthink your two-day workout schedule too much, because the thing is, it's still better than having no workout routine at all. "A lot of our country is sedentary, so if you’re able to fit in your workouts on the weekend, then you’re ahead of 80 percent of your fellow compatriots," she tells Elite Daily over email.

Plus, think about all that luxurious free time you have on weekends — it's perfect for curating a well-balanced workout, right?

"When it comes to fitness and training, we should all be working toward something, so if your training only falls on the weekend, then you’ll be more focused and have more time to train," Atkins says. Positivity at its finest. I'm loving the sound of this.

And with more time, comes more freedom. Since it's the weekend, Atkins points out, technically your workout can keep going long after you leave the gym. Whether you're walking around town, hitting up a local farmer's market, doing housework, or trying out a new hiking trail with some friends, moving your body in any way counts, says Atkin.

Of course, working out on weekends only isn't completely ideal; like I said, there are some cons to this type of workout routine.

According to Atkins, given the fact you're working out two days back-to-back, your muscles may not have enough time to recover properly.

"This means performance may decline and, not great, [you'll be] more prone to injury," Atkins tells Elite Daily. Think about your body in this context like a car you're trying to start in the winter: It takes a second for the engine to start running, right? And it's not always a smooth process? Atkins says this might, more or less, be what it's like for your body to start back up on a two-day workout routine after five days of no exercise. Be sure to stretch before and after your workout to minimize your risk of injury here. "Make sure your body is ready to move," Atkins says. "Do a nice dynamic warm-up, and follow your workouts with a good 10-minute stretch."

Additionally, to make the most of your weekend workouts, Atkins recommends starting each of your two days bright and early. "Beat the sun, beat the crowds, and start your day off on the right foot," she tells Elite Daily.

Besides #RisingAndGrinding, if you have a fitness-forward friend, enlist them to be your weekend workout buddy. Atkins says this will help your sweat sessions go by a little faster, and you'll have someone pushing you to bump up the intensity of the workout.

Ultimately, working out on the weekend can be enough if you make the most of it. Wake up, get moving, and cherish the opportunity to challenge that hard-working body of yours.